What’s Your Why? Featuring Sojourn Parker

Some athletes grow up with a ball in their hand from the time they can walk. Others find the game later, discovering their purpose along the journey. For Peachtree Ridge safety Sojourn Parker, football didn’t start as a lifelong plan. It started as curiosity, then passion, then a calling.

Growing up in an area where athletics are woven into the culture, Sojourn was always surrounded by competition. Whether it was basketball, soccer, or football, sports were a natural part of life. He dabbled in football at 9 years old simply because he liked watching it on TV. But after that season, he stepped away from the sport entirely. It wouldn’t be until 8th grade, years later, that he suited up again. And even then, basketball was still his primary focus.

Everything shifted his sophomore year. That’s when he fell in love with the grind, the discipline, and the way football demanded more of him mentally and physically. His “why” started to take form. At first, he played simply because it was fun. But as he matured, so did his mindset. Football wasn’t just an activity anymore. It became a mission.

“Definitely family,” he says when asked what drives him most. His parents and grandfather have been the foundation of his journey. His father, an Auburn fan who has watched every game with him since childhood, has been at every practice, 7v7, training session, and game. That kind of presence shapes a young man. It teaches accountability. It gives purpose.

And purpose pushes you through adversity.

Between his junior and senior year, Sojourn faced one of the toughest challenges of his career: an offseason injury that set him back significantly. Rehab was grueling, slow, and mentally draining. When he finally returned, the setback continued, he wasn’t getting reps, he wasn’t playing, and frustration set in. Doubt crept in harder than any opponent ever had.

But this is where champions are made.

After a serious conversation with his dad, Sojourn grounded himself. He committed. He trained twice as hard. He hit the field and gym every day that last month before spring ball. The coaches noticed. The work spoke for itself. By Week 0, not only was he back he was back starting.

His process is quiet, disciplined, and intentional. Weights at 7:15 AM, stretching after school, afternoon training with his trainer, then another stretch session and sometimes a second lift before dinner and homework. On game day, he locks in early, headphones on, film on his mind, and prayer in his spirit.

Despite playing with small lingering injuries throughout the season, his recovery routine ice baths, stretching, foam rolling kept him on the field and available. Availability is a skill, and he mastered it.

Even though he didn’t play youth football like most athletes and didn’t transition to defensive back until his junior year, he embraces the fact that he’s still developing. There’s a hunger in him to improve his man coverage technique, understanding it’s not a weakness it’s simply an area with fewer reps. He’s versatile, able to play multiple positions on the field and thrive, and off the field he prides himself on being a relentless worker behind the scenes.

When asked how teammates would describe him, he smiles. Quiet. Laid back. But between the lines, he flips a switch—vocal, intense, and competitive. He defines leadership as leading by example daily, being vocal when needed, and holding everyone accountable while earning their respect.

His mental strength is a major part of who he is. Visualization, confidence-building, and faith all shape his approach. “I always give God the glory for everything,” he says. It’s more than a belief. It’s a compass.

He credits Coach Skrrt, Coach Burks, and Coach Camen with elevating his game and deepening his understanding of football. And to younger athletes coming behind him, he gives advice rooted in lived experience: “Just keep working even when things are hard and definitely run track.”

Outside of football, Sojourn loves food and trying out new spots with friends. He sees himself as someone striving to grow not only as an athlete but as a person cultivating leadership, discipline, mental toughness, and integrity. If he wasn’t playing football, he figures he’d be playing basketball or working a job somewhere. But football is where he’s meant to be.

His short-term goals are clear: First-team all-conference and 5+ interceptions. Long-term, he aims to play Division I football and ultimately compete at the professional level.

Yet beyond accolades, he wants to be known as someone who was a good person, helpful, and approachable, someone others felt safe talking to. That’s the legacy he hopes to leave.

His hype songs Switch street by L5 or 32 Freestyle by Baby drill get him locked in. His favorite athletes, LeBron James and Jalen Ramsey, reflect both versatility and swagger. And his pre-game essentials are simple: Team meal. Nap. Prayer.

When asked for his favorite motivational quote, he doesn’t hesitate:

“If you don’t go and put in the work, when the game comes someone’s gonna put in work on you.”

One word to describe him?

Dawg.

Because at the end of the day, that’s who he is a young man who fought through injury, doubt, late starts, setbacks, and limited reps, and still found a way to become a leader, a playmaker, and a rising force at Peachtree Ridge.

This is his journey. This is his growth. This is his why.